Mercury again dips in region

Chandigarh, Jan 31 (UNI) After showing upward movement during the past three days, the mercury again plummeted following showers at various places in the north-west India last night.

However it was another warm day for the people as the Sun shone bright during the day in the region.

The minimum temperatures dipped in Punjab and Haryana but hovered one degree to six degrees celsius above normal.

Amritsar, where the mercury touched 7.4 degrees yesterday, recorded 6.4 degrees today. Ludhiana and Patiala, which were lashed by rain overnight, also registered a fall in the temperatures, respectively recording 6.8 degrees and 8.3 degrees celsius. Nangal too had rainfall.

In Haryana, Ambala, Karnal and Hissar also recorded a decline in the mercury settling at 9.1 degrees, 9.1 degrees and 13.0 degrees at respective places. Karnal and Nelokheri experienced rain, respectivley measuring 9.2 mm and 3.2 mm till this morning. The minimum stayed 10.3 degrees celsius at Narnaul in Mahendergarh district.

Parts of Himachal Pradesh also reported a decline in the temperature with state capital Shimla recording 5.6 degrees, four degrees above normal, against 7.5 degrees registered yesterday.

The mercury slightly rose at Bhuntar in Kullu district from 2.0 degrees to 2.4 degrees and remained static at 4.6 degrees at Sundernagar in Mandi district.

Tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh continued to be under the impact of severe cold wave. The minimum plunged at Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district to minus 2.8 degrees from minus 1.5 degrees recorded yesterday.

Cold winds swept Chandigarh although a bright sunshine greeted the residents during the day. The city with 10.6 degrees, three degrees above normal, recorded a fall of 2.6 degrees in the minimum temperature. Delhi also registered a fall in the minimum and Safderjung showed 11.6 degrees against 14.6 degrees recorded yesterday.

There was no let up in the cold wave in the Kashmir valley with the minimum temperature again dropping in Srinagar to minus 2.0 degrees. However, Jammu was warmer today with the mercury staying at 11.1 degrees celsius.

The weather Office has predcited light rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and mainly sunny days with fog or mist occuring during night and morning in Punjab and Haryana in the next 24 hours UNI